Aspects of the present invention relate generally to the rendering and display of data, and more particularly to the rendering of a segmented record in a fixed display space.
A database is a collection of various data that are organized according to one or more classifications. Certain types of databases store and organize data according to a format based on individual records. Often, the data of these records are “segmented,” such that each instance of a record is further divided into multiple fields. For example, in a service oriented architecture (SOA) system, multiple service documents may be retained in a service repository database, where each service document defines a service available from the system. Each service document may be divided into various fields which correspond to different aspects of the service described by that particular service document. These fields may describe, among other data, the location of the service, details of the service, and instructions for accessing the service.
In certain applications, it may be desirable to provide a human user with access to the records stored in a database through a user interface. Returning to the example of an SOA system, the service documents stored by a service repository database may be used by analysts, architects, and developers during development and modification of the SOA system to locate available services and evaluate the impact of changes to service configurations. As such, the contents of the service repository database are made available through a user interface utilizing a display device to display specific service documents to a user. In this type of user interface, display space on the display device may be a scare commodity, particularly when the service documents store large amounts of data.